Why I Love Puente. Por qué amo a Puente

David Pasternak named one of Puente’s Volunteer of the Year 2017. From Left to right: Rita Mancera, Carol Young-Holt, David Pasternak and Laura Franco.

I remember, though somewhat distantly, Puente’s founding. A service center was desperately needed to assist the isolated South Coast of San Mateo County, which was being informally served by the Half Moon Bay-based Opportunity Center (now known as Coastside Hope.)

My memories of this past decade with Puente are far more vivid. Led by Kerry Lobel—and more recently by her able protégé and successor, Rita Mancera—Puente has become an integral part of the community, and an inspiration to many of us in neighboring communities. I find personal inspiration in Puente’s work for several reasons.

First is the creative fluidity of the organization, always expanding to meet perceived needs of the community. Emergency assistance with common basic needs of new arrivals, such as food, transportation and translation, has expanded to include provision (with a little help from its friends) of medical care, immigration services , day care, after school programs, tutoring, and even assistance with college application preparation.

Second is the sense of personal identity Puente encourages in the community. Clients are not just” served”; they are engaged, involved and integrated into the programs themselves. Teenagers help the little ones. Parents pitch in to assist with each other’s day-to-day needs, and members of the community are recruited not only to provide English language instruction, but also to engage in mutual sharing of English and Spanish language skills. Summer programs employ teenage members of the community, providing skills and training that can provide a basis for future entry into higher education and the work world.

Last but certainly not least of the reasons that I love Puente is something a little more abstract—the good feeling that permeates its operations. From Director to young staff, there is a sense of camaraderie, of familiarity with and devotion to the community.

During my years of association with Puente, I’ve served as a legal advisor, participant in various forums, and English teacher. And yes, I have often written checks to help fund the program! It is a wonderful community and I hope that you will join and support it today.

David Pasternak

Editor’s Note: David Pasternak has provided crucial legal counsel to Puente for more than a decade. He has provided legal representation to Puente participants, presented legal rights workshops, and has provided strategic advice to Puente during the many changes to the U.S. immigration program. David received Puente’s volunteer of the year award in 2017.